International Journal of Clinical & Medical Images

Clinical Image

The mermaid baby (Figure 1) (sirenomelia) is an extremely rare anomaly with an incidence of 1 in 100000 births. The incidence is more common in males (3:1). A 37 weeks term baby born to a 28 years prime mother by spontaneous vaginal delivery, the baby died immediately after birth at 15 minutes of life despite all efforts. Antenatal history nothing significant except oligohydramnios. Baby external genitalia, anus not developed, had Polysyndactyly of lower limbs and left upper limb. The baby also had a single umbilical artery. The baby had no cleft lip and cleft palate. Autopsy and other investigations were declined by parents. Mermaid baby pathogenesis is explained by the vascular steal hypothesis and the defective blast genesis hypothesis. Intake of haloperidol, tobacco, cadmium, lead, vitamin A and maternal sugar levels are considered a cause for Sirenomelia. As it is lethal congenital anomaly prevention is better by early detection and termination. Better to avoid teratogenic exposure.

Keywords: Mermaid baby; Sirenomelia; Haloperidol